Charged with attempting to smuggle less than a pound of cannabis into the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, a mother of three was yesterday remanded to prison.
“I tried to help out somebody but I didn’t know it was weed in the boots,” said Sarah Chance, who was brought before Senior Magistrate Faith McGusty yesterday and read the charge.
It is alleged that the 33-year-old Kaneville resident, on January 21, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, unlawfully introduced 23 grammes of cannabis into the court lockups.
A guilty plea was first entered by the accused but it was later changed to not guilty after her explanation.
The court then heard from police prosecutor, Annalisa Brummell, who related that the defendant and the person she attempted to give the substance to have known each other for about three months. It was further stated that when the defendant visited the court lockups, the police indicated that the boots, which possessed the drugs, were to be searched. It was at this time that the defendant began acting suspiciously. During the search, the illicit substance was found concealed within the soles of the shoes.
Chance on the other hand, told the court that she did not know the person she received the article from, however, a day prior to the incident, she was in the court lockups, where she lent the prisoner her phone to make a call. From then, she related, they began to communicate.
She stated that she was told to meet a friend of the prisoner at the park and collect $10,000 to buy a jersey and shirt for him to wear to court. When she met the friend, however, she was given a pair of boots instead.
Magistrate McGusty later transferred the matter to the courtroom of Magistrate Annette Singh, where the accused was remanded. She is set to return to court on February 19.
